1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a shield panel of an electronic device to which a circuit board is perpendicularly mounted to be shielded thereby, and in particular to a shield panel structure that allows variation of an angle between the panel and the circuit board.
2. The Prior Art
A shield panel for being received and retained in an opening defined in a casing of an electronic device to electrically shield a circuit board disposed inside the casing and to provide electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection is well-known in the electronics field. FIG. 6 of the attached drawings shows an example of the conventional shield panel. The conventional shield panel, designated by reference numeral 5, comprises a substantially flat plate (not labeled) sized to snugly fit into an opening defined in a casing of an electronic device (not shown). The shield panel 5 has side flanges 51 perpendicularly extending from the flat plate for resiliently engaging with the casing thereby retaining the shield panel 5 in the openings. The shield panel 5 comprises two opposite board support arms 52 extending from the flat plate for supporting a circuit board disposed inside the casing. Each board support arm 52 defines an elongate slot 53 into which an edge of the circuit board is received and thus supported thereby.
In general, the circuit board is arranged substantially horizontal, while the shield panel 5 is substantially vertical for facilitating alignment with the opening of the casing. A right angle is formed between the shield panel 5 and the circuit board. Thus, the slot 53 extends substantially normal to the flat plate of the shield panel 5 for maintaining the right angle between the flat plate of the shield panel 5 and the circuit board.
However, due to manufacturing and assembling tolerances, the circuit board may form an angle with respect to the horizontal whereby the shield panel 5 cannot maintain the alignment thereof with the opening of the casing. A gap may thus be formed between the shield panel 5 and the casing resulting in deterioration of the EMI protection properties of the shield panel 5.
It is thus desired to have a shield panel structure which accommodates an angle of variation between the panel and a circuit board thereby overcoming the problem discussed above.